The Systematic Approach To Tasting Wine

Question 1

Appearance

List the three levels of wine intensity.

Answer 1

Pale-medium-deep

Question 2

Colour

List the 5 levels of colour intensity of white wine.

Answer 2

Lemon green - lemon- gold- amber - brown

Question 3

Colour

List the 3 levels of colour intensity of Rose Wine.

Answer 3

pink-salmon-orange

Question 4

Colour

List the 5 levels of colour intensity of Red Wine.

Answer 4

Purple-ruby-garnet-tawny -brown

Question 5

Appearance- other

What other possible observations are there for Wine?

Answer 5

•Legs/tears
=wines that contain auger or high alcohol levels are more viscous.
•deposit
=this can indicate that the wine is usually unfined and/or unfiltered.
•petillance(sprits)ペティヤン
=some light-bodied, unoaked white wines are bottled with some dissolved carbon dioxide as this can add desirable freshness and texture.
•bubbles
= are fundamentally important to sparkling wine.

Question 6

Nose- Intensity

List 5 levels of wine intensity.

Answer 6

Light- medium(-)-medium-medium(+)-pronounced

Question 7

Appearance - Clarity

Answer 7

Clear- hazy(faulty?)

Question 8

Nose- condition

Answer 8

Clean- unclean(faulty?)

Question 9

The taint gives the wine aromas reminiscent of damp cardboard. At low levels the taint can be hard to identify, but fruit flavours in particular will be muted and the wine will appear less fresh. One of the main causes of this fault is tainted cork and often referred to as “corked”. What is it?

Answer 9

TCA(Trichloroanisole)

Question 10

One of the common wine faults gives the wine a ‘stinky’ character; sometimes like rotten eggs, and sometimes more like boiled cabbage, boiled onions or blocked drains. Very low levels of this can be surprisingly pleasant, adding character and complexity. In some cases the stinky aromas will dissipate once the bottle is open. What is it?

Answer 10

Reduction

Question 11

This is added to almost all wines, but levels tend to be highest in sweet white wines. At very high levels it can give a wine an acridキツイsmell of recently extinguished matches. At lower levels, it can mask the fruitiness of a wine. Insufficient ______________ can lead to oxidation. What is it?

Answer 11

Sulfur dioxide

Question 12

This is the opposite of reduction. It is typically caused by a failure of the closure allowing unwanted oxygen to interact with the wine. The wine will appear deeper coloured and more brown than it should be. It may have aromas of toffee, honey, caramel or coffee, and will lack freshness and fruitiness. Note that some wines are made in an oxidative style and in these cases it is not a fault. What is it?

Answer 12

Oxidation

Question 13

These wines have lost their vibrancy and freshness, and may taste dull and stale. This is either because they are too old or have been stored in bad conditions( too hot, too bright, too variable). There may be elements of oxidation too. What is it?

Answer 13

Out of condition

Question 14

All wines have some ____________, and low levels help make the wine seem more fragrant and complex. However, high levels of ____________can give the wine aromas that often described as vinegar or nail polish remover. What is this?

Answer 14

Volatile acidity(VA)

Question 15

This is a yeast that can give wine plastic or animal aromas reminiscent of sticking plasters, hot vinyl, smoked meat, leather or sweaty horses. Some consumers enjoy these characters, and do not consider low levels of _________to be fault. What’s this?

Answer 15

Brettanomyces(Brett)

ブレタノマイセス

Question 16

Nose- condition

List the 6 common wine faults

Answer 16

TCA(Trichloroanisole)
Reduction 
Sulfer dioxide
Oxidation
Out of condition
Volatile acidity(VA)
Brettanomyces(Brett)

Question 17

Nose- Aroma characteristics

List the up to 3 levels of aromas

Answer 17

Primary- secondary-tertiary

Question 18

Nose - Development

List the 4 levels of wine development

Answer 18

Youthful
Developing
Fully developed
Tired/ past it’s best

Question 19

Tertiary Aromas
These aromas have their origin in ageing processes. The ageing process could be oxidative, for example, due to a long period in oak. This can add tertiary aromas such as______, _______ or _______.

Answer 19

Coffee, toffee or caramel

Question 20

Tertiary Aromas
The ageing process could be protected from the action of oxygen, for example, due to a long period in bottle. This can add tertiary aromas such as _____, ______ or ______.

Answer 20

Petrol, honey or mushroom